Recessed terminal in module body

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure includes a group of electrically interconnected battery cells disposed within a housing. The disclosure also includes a major terminal of a battery module configured to be coupled to a load for powering the load. One or more portions of the major terminal are disposed within a recess in a surface of the housing. The present disclosure also includes a bus bar that provides an electrical pathway between the group of electrically interconnected battery cells and the major terminal. The bus bar is disposed within the housing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/041,988, entitled “SEALABLE STAMPEDELECTRICAL CONNECTION BATTERY TERMINAL TO APPLICATION”, filed Aug. 26,2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of batteries andbattery modules. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to abus bar connection assembly for Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery modules.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects ofart that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure,which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed tobe helpful in providing the reader with background information tofacilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statementsare to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

A vehicle that uses one or more battery systems for providing all or aportion of the motive power for the vehicle can be referred to as anxEV, where the term “xEV” is defined herein to include all of thefollowing vehicles, or any variations or combinations thereof, that useelectric power for all or a portion of their vehicular motive force. Forexample, xEVs include electric vehicles (EVs) that utilize electricpower for all motive force. As will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), also considered xEVs, combinean internal combustion engine propulsion system and a battery-poweredelectric propulsion system, such as 48 Volt (V) or 130V systems. Theterm HEV may include any variation of a hybrid electric vehicle. Forexample, full hybrid systems (FHEVs) may provide motive and otherelectrical power to the vehicle using one or more electric motors, usingonly an internal combustion engine, or using both. In contrast, mildhybrid systems (MHEVs) disable the internal combustion engine when thevehicle is idling and utilize a battery system to continue powering theair conditioning unit, radio, or other electronics, as well as torestart the engine when propulsion is desired. The mild hybrid systemmay also apply some level of power assist, during acceleration forexample, to supplement the internal combustion engine. Mild hybrids aretypically 96V to 130V and recover braking energy through a belt or crankintegrated starter generator. Further, a micro-hybrid electric vehicle(mHEV) also uses a “Stop-Start” system similar to the mild hybrids, butthe micro-hybrid systems of a mHEV may or may not supply power assist tothe internal combustion engine and operates at a voltage below 60V. Forthe purposes of the present discussion, it should be noted that mHEVstypically do not technically use electric power provided directly to thecrankshaft or transmission for any portion of the motive force of thevehicle, but an mHEV may still be considered as an xEV since it does useelectric power to supplement a vehicle's power needs when the vehicle isidling with internal combustion engine disabled and recovers brakingenergy through an integrated starter generator. In addition, a plug-inelectric vehicle (PEV) is any vehicle that can be charged from anexternal source of electricity, such as wall sockets, and the energystored in the rechargeable battery packs drives or contributes to drivethe wheels. PEVs are a subcategory of EVs that include all-electric orbattery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles(PHEVs), and electric vehicle conversions of hybrid electric vehiclesand conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.

xEVs as described above may provide a number of advantages as comparedto more traditional gas-powered vehicles using only internal combustionengines and traditional electrical systems, which are typically 12Vsystems powered by a lead acid battery. For example, xEVs may producefewer undesirable emission products and may exhibit greater fuelefficiency as compared to traditional internal combustion vehicles and,in some cases, such xEVs may eliminate the use of gasoline entirely, asis the case of certain types of EVs or PEVs.

As technology continues to evolve, there is a need to provide improvedpower sources, particularly battery modules, for such vehicles. Forexample, in traditional configurations, battery modules may include anumber of interconnected electrochemical cells coupled together via busbars (e.g., minor bus bars) extending between terminals (e.g., minorterminals or cell terminals) of the electrochemical cells. Further, thebattery module may include two major terminals electrically coupled withthe interconnected electrochemical cells via corresponding electricalpaths, each electrical path having a major bus bar extending from themajor terminal between the major terminal and the minor terminal of oneof the electrochemical cells. This enables the two major terminals to becoupled to a load for powering the load via electric power provided bythe interconnected electrochemical cells. In traditional configurations,each major bus bar and corresponding major terminal of the batterymodule may be welded together to establish at least a portion of theelectrical path between the major terminal and the minor terminal, whichmay require that the major bus bar and the major terminal are made ofthe same material, or at least compatible materials for welding. Thewelding steps and use of specific materials may result in a high cost ofthe battery module. Further, in traditional configurations, each majorbus bar and corresponding major terminal of the battery module may bebulky connections that extend from the housing and/or may be exposedconnections that may complicate manufacturing of the battery module.Such bulky and/or exposed connections expose the battery module topotential short circuits. Accordingly, it is now recognized that animproved major bus bar and major terminal (and assembly thereof) forbattery modules is needed.

SUMMARY

Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimedsubject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intendedto limit the scope of the disclosure, but rather these embodiments areintended only to provide a brief summary of certain disclosedembodiments. Indeed, the present disclosure may encompass a variety offorms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forthbelow. The present disclosure relates to batteries and battery modules.More specifically, the present disclosure relates to lithium ion batterycells that may be used in vehicular contexts (e.g., xEVs) as well asother energy storage/expending applications (e.g., energy storage for anelectrical grid).

The present disclosure relates to a battery module. The battery moduleincludes a group of electrically interconnected battery cells and ahousing. The group of electrically interconnected battery cells aredisposed within the housing. The battery module includes a majorterminal that is configured to be coupled to a load for powering theload. One or more portions of the major terminal are disposed within arecess in a surface of the housing. The battery module includes a busbar that provides an electrical pathway between the group ofelectrically interconnected battery cells and the major terminal. Thebus bar is disposed within the housing.

The present disclosure also relates to a battery module having ahousing. The housing comprising a recess disposed in a surface of thehousing. The battery module includes an electrochemical cell having aminor terminal disposed within the housing. The battery module includesmajor terminal electrically coupled to the electrochemical cell. Themajor terminal includes a base and a post engaged within the base, wherethe base of the major terminal is disposed within the recess. Thebattery module also includes a bus bar that provides an electrical pathbetween the minor terminal of the electrochemical cell and the majorterminal of the battery module.

The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing abattery module. The method includes disposing a base of a major terminalwithin a recess in a surface of a housing. A group of electricallyinterconnected battery cells are disposed within the housing. The methodalso includes inserting a post of a major terminal through an opening ofthe recess such that the base of the major terminal engages with thepost of the major terminal. The method also includes coupling the majorterminal to the group of electrically interconnected battery cells via amajor bus bar disposed within the housing to provide an electricalpathway that powers a load.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle having a battery systemconfigured in accordance with present embodiments to provide power forvarious components of the vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a cutaway schematic view of an embodiment of the vehicle andthe battery module of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a battery module foruse in the vehicle of FIG. 1, having a recess terminal in accordancewith an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a portion of the battery module ofFIG. 3 with a housing cover removed, in accordance with an aspect of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of a batterymodule for use in the vehicle of FIG. 1, illustrating the recessterminal in one or more locations, in accordance with an aspect of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the battery moduleof FIG. 3, illustrating the recess terminal molded into the housing ofthe battery module, in accordance with an aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the battery moduleof FIG. 3, illustrating a sealant configured to secure the recessterminal molded within the recess of the housing, in accordance with anaspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the battery module of FIG.3, illustrating the major terminal accessible through a surface of ahousing of the battery module, in accordance with an aspect of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a portion of the battery module of FIG. 8,illustrating a post of the major terminal incorporated into the housingof the battery module, in accordance with an aspect of the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the battery module of FIG.8, illustrating the post of the major terminal disposed underneath themajor terminal, where the major terminal is accessible through thesurface of the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effortto provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all featuresof an actual implementation are described in the specification. Itshould be appreciated that in the development of any such actualimplementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

The battery systems described herein may be used to provide power tovarious types of electric vehicles (xEVs) and other high voltage energystorage/expending applications (e.g., electrical grid power storagesystems). Such battery systems may include one or more battery modules,each battery module having a number of battery cells (e.g., Lithium-ion(Li-ion) electrochemical cells) arranged to provide particular voltagesand/or currents useful to power, for example, one or more components ofan xEV. As another example, battery modules in accordance with presentembodiments may be incorporated with or provide power to stationarypower systems (e.g., non-automotive systems).

During assembly of a battery module, the individual electrochemicalcells may be positioned in a housing of the battery module, andterminals (e.g., minor terminals or cell terminals) of theelectrochemical cells may extend generally away from the housing. Tocouple the electrochemical cells together (e.g., in series or parallel),an electrical path between minor terminals of two or moreelectrochemical cells may be established by coupling pairs of minorterminals via corresponding bus bars (e.g., minor bus bars). Further,two of the electrochemical cells (e.g., on either end of the batterymodule or on ends of one or more stacks of electrochemical cells) may beelectrically coupled to major terminals (e.g., module terminals orprimary terminals) of the battery module via corresponding major busbars, or via corresponding major bus bar assemblies, where the majorterminals are configured to be coupled to a load for powering the load.

In traditional configurations, to ensure that the major terminals andtheir associated major bus bars do not become decoupled, the majorterminals and major bus bars may be welded together. However, welding ofthe major terminal and the major bus bar may require that the materialof the major bus bar is the same as the material of the major terminal,or at least compatible for welding. Further, the material of the majorbus bars may depend on the material of the corresponding minor terminals(e.g., of the electrochemical cells) from which the major bus barsextend, or on the material of one or more intervening components (e.g.,a shunt coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB 63)). This may increasea material cost of the battery module and complexity of manufacturing.Further, associated geometries, assemblies, and welding techniques fortraditional configurations such as those described above may contributeto a volume of the battery module, thereby reducing an energy density ofthe battery module. Furthermore, in traditional configurations, majorterminals and their associated major bus bars may generally extend awayfrom the housing in bulky and/or exposed connections. Indeed, suchextended connections may complicate manufacturing of the battery module.For example, extended connections may expose joints or otherconnections, thereby exposing the battery module to potential shortcircuits and/or other complications.

To address these and other shortcomings of traditional battery moduleconfigurations, battery modules in accordance with the presentdisclosure include major terminals disposed within a recess (e.g., anopening, a pocket, etc.) that is formed within a housing of the batterymodule. In some situations, the major terminal may be referred to as astamped major terminal, a stamped terminal, a recess terminal, a majorrecess terminal, a female terminal, and so forth. In particular, in suchembodiments, the major terminal may include a base and a post that isconfigured to engage with the base. The base may be a single continuousunit molded into the recess of the housing. The post may be insertedwithin the base disposed within the recess to form a continuous unit,thereby allowing for electrical flow through the continuous component tothe major bus bar without external joints or connections. In particular,the post associated with the major terminal (e.g., threaded nut) may beinserted and removed through an opening of the recess, such that thepost (e.g., threads of the nut) engages the base of the major terminalmolded into the recess.

It should be noted that in certain embodiments, the material of the baseof the major terminal (e.g., copper) may be different than the materialof the post of the major terminal (e.g., stainless steel). Accordingly,the base and post of the major terminal may electrically couple withoutwelding or otherwise integrally coupling, despite being formed ofdifferent materials. In this manner, in certain embodiments, the post ofthe major terminal may be inserted and/or removed from the base (e.g.,swapped out) with more flexibility. In certain embodiments, a housingcover may be used to seal the stamped terminal within the recess of thehousing while providing an opening for the post to be inserted andremoved. In this manner, the battery module may be electrically coupledto the load without any joints exposed or extending from the housing ofthe battery module. Specifically, the major terminal of the batterymodule may be fully integrated into the housing of the battery module.

In certain embodiments, the base of the major terminal may be securelyretained within the recess disposed within the housing of the batterymodule, rather than be molded into the recess. For example, in suchembodiments, the major bus bar may be disposed on a surface of thehousing above the recess, and may engage a top surface of the base ofthe major terminal (e.g., threaded nut) disposed within the recess ofthe housing. The base of the major terminal may be configured to receivethe post of the major terminal within the recess of the housing, therebyelectrically coupling the load to the battery module without any exposedjoints or connections. In such embodiments, the base of the majorterminal may be disposed within the recess such that it is sandwichedbetween the major bus bar and a lower portion of the housing structure.As noted above, in certain embodiments, the conductive material of thebase of the major terminal (e.g., copper) may be different than theconductive material of the post of the major terminal (e.g., stainlesssteel), thereby allowing the major terminal to electrically engagewithout welding and lowering the material cost of the battery module. Inaddition, by utilizing the recess disposed within the housing of thebattery module to retain the major terminal, the load may be coupled tothe battery module without any connections or joints extending outwardfrom the housing of the battery module.

With the foregoing in mind, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an xEV 10 inthe form of an automobile (e.g., a car) having a battery system 12 inaccordance with present embodiments for providing a portion of themotive power for the vehicle 10, as described above. Although the xEV 10may be any of the types of xEVs described above, by specific example,the xEV 10 may be a mHEV, including an internal combustion engineequipped with a microhybrid system which includes a start-stop systemthat may utilize the battery system 12 to power at least one or moreaccessories (e.g., AC, lights, consoles), as well as the ignition of theinternal combustion engine, during start-stop cycles.

Further, although the xEV 10 is illustrated as a car in FIG. 1, the typeof vehicle may differ in other embodiments, all of which are intended tofall within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the xEV 10may be representative of a vehicle including a truck, bus, industrialvehicle, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, boat, or any other type ofvehicle that may benefit from the use of electric power. Additionally,while the battery system 12 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as being positionedin the trunk or rear of the vehicle, according to other embodiments, thelocation of the battery system 12 may differ. For example, the positionof the battery system 12 may be selected based on the available spacewithin a vehicle, the desired weight balance of the vehicle, thelocation of other components used with the battery system 12 (e.g.,battery control units, measurement electronics), and a variety of otherconsiderations.

The xEV 10 may be an HEV having the battery system 12, which includesone or more battery modules 13, as illustrated in FIG. 2, where each ofthe battery modules 13 includes one or more electrochemical cells. Inparticular, the battery system 12 illustrated in FIG. 2 is disposedtoward the rear of the vehicle 10. In other embodiments, the batterysystem 12 may be provided in a separate compartment in the rear of thevehicle 10 (e.g., a trunk), or provided in another suitable location inthe HEV 10. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the HEV 10 includes aninternal combustion engine 16 for times when the HEV 10 utilizesgasoline power to propel the vehicle 10. The HEV 10 also includes anelectric motor 18, a power split device 20, and a generator 22 as partof the drive system.

The HEV 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 may be powered or driven by the batterysystem 12 alone, by the combustion engine 16 alone, or by both thebattery system 12 and the combustion engine 16. It should be noted that,in other embodiments, other types of vehicles and configurations for thevehicle drive system may be utilized, and that the schematicillustration of FIG. 2 should not be considered to limit the scope ofthe subject matter described in the present application. According tovarious embodiments, the size, shape, and location of the battery system12, the corresponding battery module(s) 13, and the type of vehicle,among other features, may differ from those shown or described.

As depicted, the battery system 12 includes an energy storage component14 coupled to an ignition system 16, an alternator 18, a vehicle console20, and optionally to an electric motor 22. Generally, the energystorage component 14 may capture/store electrical energy generated inthe vehicle 10 and output electrical energy to power electrical devicesin the vehicle 10. In other words, the battery system 12 may supplypower to components of the vehicle's electrical system, which mayinclude radiator cooling fans, climate control systems, electric powersteering systems, active suspension systems, auto park systems, electricoil pumps, electric super/turbochargers, electric water pumps, heatedwindscreen/defrosters, window lift motors, vanity lights, tire pressuremonitoring systems, sunroof motor controls, power seats, alarm systems,infotainment systems, navigation features, lane departure warningsystems, electric parking brakes, external lights, or any combinationthereof. In the depicted embodiment, the energy storage component 14supplies power to the vehicle console 20 and the ignition system 16,which may be used to start (e.g., crank) the internal combustion engine24.

Additionally, the energy storage component 14 may capture electricalenergy generated by the alternator 18 and/or the electric motor 22. Insome embodiments, the alternator 18 may generate electrical energy whilethe internal combustion engine 24 is running. More specifically, thealternator 18 may convert the mechanical energy produced by the rotationof the internal combustion engine 24 into electrical energy.Additionally or alternatively, when the vehicle 10 includes an electricmotor 22, the electric motor 22 may generate electrical energy byconverting mechanical energy produced by the movement of the vehicle 10(e.g., rotation of the wheels) into electrical energy. To facilitatecapturing and supplying electric energy, the energy storage component 14may be electrically coupled to the vehicle's electric system via a bus26. For example, the bus 26 may enable the energy storage component 14to receive electrical energy generated by the alternator 18 and/or theelectric motor 22. Additionally, the bus 26 may enable the energystorage component 14 to output electrical energy to the ignition system16 and/or the vehicle console 20. Accordingly, when a 12 volt batterysystem 12 is used, the bus 26 may carry electrical power typicallybetween 8-18 volts.

Additionally, as depicted, the energy storage component 14 may includemultiple battery modules 13. For example, in the depicted embodiment,the energy storage component 14 includes a lithium ion (e.g., a first)battery module 28 and a lead-acid (e.g., a second) battery module 30,which each includes one or more battery cells. In other embodiments, theenergy storage component 14 may include any number of battery modules13. Additionally, although the lithium ion battery module 28 andlead-acid battery module 30 are depicted adjacent to one another, theymay be positioned in different areas around the vehicle. For example,the lead-acid battery module 30 may be positioned in or about theinterior of the vehicle 10 while the lithium ion battery module 28 maybe positioned under the hood of the vehicle 10.

In some embodiments, the energy storage component 14 may includemultiple battery modules 13 to utilize multiple different batterychemistries. For example, when the lithium ion battery module 28 isused, performance of the battery system 12 may be improved since thelithium ion battery chemistry generally has a higher coulombicefficiency and/or a higher power charge acceptance rate (e.g., highermaximum charge current or charge voltage) than the lead-acid batterychemistry. As such, the capture, storage, and/or distribution efficiencyof the battery system 12 may be improved.

To facilitate controlling the capturing and storing of electricalenergy, the battery system 12 may additionally include a control module32. More specifically, the control module 32 may control operations ofcomponents in the battery system 12, such as relays (e.g., switches)within energy storage component 14, the alternator 18, and/or theelectric motor 22. For example, the control module 32 may regulateamount of electrical energy captured/supplied by each battery module 28or 30 (e.g., to de-rate and re-rate the battery system 12), perform loadbalancing between the battery modules 28 and 30, determine a state ofcharge of each battery module 28 or 30, determine temperature of eachbattery module 28 or 30, control voltage output by the alternator 18and/or the electric motor 22, and the like.

Accordingly, the control unit 32 may include one or processor 34 and oneor more memory 36. More specifically, the one or more processor 34 mayinclude one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs),one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), one or more generalpurpose processors, or any combination thereof. Additionally, the one ormore memory 36 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory(RAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM),optical drives, hard disc drives, or solid-state drives. In someembodiments, the control unit 32 may include portions of a vehiclecontrol unit (VCU) and/or a separate battery control module.Furthermore, as depicted, the lithium ion battery module 28 and thelead-acid battery module 30 are connected in parallel across theirterminals. In other words, the lithium ion battery module 28 and thelead-acid module 30 may be coupled in parallel to the vehicle'selectrical system via the bus 26. It should be noted that the lithiumion battery modules 28 may have any one of a variety of differentshapes, sizes, output voltages, capacities, and so forth, and thepresent disclosure is generally intended to apply to differentvariations of the shapes and sizes of the modules illustrated in thefigures

Indeed, one example battery module 13 is shown in a perspective view inFIG. 3. Specifically, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment ofthe battery module 13 for use in the vehicle of FIG. 1. In theillustrated embodiment, the battery module 13 depicts one or more majorterminals 40 in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.Specifically, the one or more major terminals 40 having one or moreportions embedded within a recess. To facilitate discussion of thebattery module 13 and the various assemblies and components thereof, a Zaxis 42 is defined as extending through the length of battery module 13,a Y axis 44 is defined as extending through the height of the batterymodule 13 (transverse to the length in a first direction), and an X axis46 is defined as extending through a width of the battery module 13(transverse to the length and the height).

In certain embodiments, the battery module 13 includes a first terminal48 (e.g., a negative terminal) and a second terminal 50 (e.g., apositive terminal) that may be coupled to an electrical load (e.g.,circuit) for providing power to the xEV 10. In other embodiments, thebattery module 13 may have more than two terminals, for example, toprovide different voltages for different loads via connections acrossdifferent terminal combinations. In particular, the first terminal 48and the second terminal 50 may be recess terminals or stamped recessterminals that are integrated into a housing 52 of the battery module13, as further described below. In other words, the recess terminals maybe female recess terminals disposed within the housing such that theyare configured to receive a male post within the recess of the housing.

The battery module 13 includes the housing 52 for packaging orcontaining a plurality of battery cells (as shown in FIG. 4) and othercomponents of the battery module 13. In particular, the housing 52 mayinclude one or more portions, such as a lower housing portion 54 and ahousing cover 56. In some situations, the lower housing portion 54 andthe housing cover 56 may be coupled and secured with a housing collar58. In certain embodiments, the housing collar 58 surrounds theperimeter of the housing 52 along the juncture of the lower housingportion 54 and the housing cover 56. As further described with respectto FIGS. 6-10, the major terminals 40 may be disposed within the housing52 (e.g., within a recess of the housing 52), such that connections orjoints of the major terminals 40 do not extend away from the housing orprotrude from the housing 52. For example, in certain embodiments, themajor terminal 40 may be disposed within the lower housing portion 54and may be secured within the housing 52 with the housing cover 56 andthe housing collar 58, as further described with respect to FIG. 6.

The housing 52 may package a plurality of prismatic battery cells. Thehousing 52 may include two end portions 60 and 62 (e.g., disposed alongthe Z axis 42), two side portions 64 and 66 (e.g., disposed along the Xaxis 46), a top portion 68 (e.g., fitted with the housing cover 56), anda bottom portion 70. The housing 52 may be metallic (e.g., made fromsteel, aluminum, or another suitable metal), may be polymeric (e.g.,polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a polystyrene(PS), a polyimide (PI), or another suitable polymer or plastic orcombination thereof), or any other suitable housing material orcombination of materials.

The dimensions (e.g., length and width) of the base (e.g., the bottomportion 70) of the battery module 13 may be selected to be similar to orexactly the same as that of a particular type of lead-acid battery(e.g., a particular battery group). The battery module 13 may includeany number of battery cells, depending on the voltage and/or capacityrequirements of the battery module 13, as well as the individual voltageand capacity of each battery cell and the manner in which they arecoupled. Accordingly, any number and/or arrangement of battery cells maybe used depending on the desired power of the battery module 13 and/orthe desired dimensions (e.g., length, width, and/or height) of thebattery module 13. It should be appreciated with reference to theillustrated embodiment that no actuating clamping features are used onthe battery module 13. Rather, the battery cells remain in a compressedassembly by way of internal housing and compression features.

In this regard, the housing 52 of the battery module 13 may beconfigured such that a group of battery cells may be arranged within thehousing 52 as a compressed assembly to provide a desired power output,regardless of the degree of variance in dimensions of individual batterycells, as long as each are within the manufacturing tolerance of theindividual battery cells. As an example, at least one dimension of thehousing 52 may be selected to allow placement of a desired number ofbattery cells even if all of the battery cells have dimensions on alarger side of a manufacturing tolerance range. Further, the at leastone dimension of the housing 52 may be selected to place or maintain adesired compression force on the group of battery cells, even if all ofthe battery cells have dimensions on a smaller side of the manufacturingtolerance range. In this situation, the battery module 13 may includevarious internal features that ensure this force is provided.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view illustrating the battery module 13 ofFIG. 3 with the housing cover 56 and/or the housing collar 58 removed,in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. As noted above,the battery module 13 may be sized to facilitate the placement of aplurality of battery cells 80 in a desired manner (e.g., as a compressedassembly). While any single type of battery cell 80 may be utilized, thebattery cells 80 used within the battery module 13 may all have the samegeneral shape (e.g., prismatic, cylindrical, pouch, or any other), thesame electrochemistry (e.g., electrode active materials, electrolytes,additives), the same general dimensions (e.g., to within manufacturingtolerances), and other similar design features (e.g., electricalisolation). In the depicted embodiment, the battery module 13 includes anumber of battery cells 80 sufficient to enable the battery module 13 toprovide a 48 V output, though the battery module 13 may output othervoltages (e.g., 12 V) using different numbers and/or connections ofbattery cells 80. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery cells 80described herein may be prismatic battery cells, where a prismaticbattery cell, as defined herein, includes a prismatic case that isgenerally rectangular in shape. In contrast to pouch cells, theprismatic casing is formed from a relatively inflexible, hard (e.g.,metallic) material. However, it should be noted that certain embodimentsdescribed below may incorporate pouch cells in addition to or in lieu ofprismatic battery cells.

The battery cells 80, before introduction into the module housing 52,may be arranged in a cell stack 82. In certain embodiments, a spacer 84(e.g., one or more) may be used between each battery cell 80 of the cellstack 82 to separate the battery cells 80 from one another. The spacers84 may be in any suitable form, such as discrete layers (e.g., plasticor silicone dividers) that are separate from the battery cells 80;adhesive strips, tabs, or the like that are adhered to the battery cells80; rubber bands wrapped around the individual battery cells 80; oradhesive foam tape secured to the battery cells 80. In embodiments wherethe spacers 84 are adhesive, the battery cells 80 may be adhered to oneanother. In the illustrated embodiment, the cell stack 82 is orientedalong the z-axis 42 (e.g., in a row arrangement). However, it should benoted that the battery cells 80 may be positioned in any suitablearrangement. For example, while a single cell stack 82 may be utilized,in other embodiments, the battery cells 80 may be arranged in one ormore cells stacks 82. Further, the one or more cell stacks 82 may beoriented vertically (e.g., in a columnar arrangement) or horizontally(e.g., in a row arrangement).

The cell stack 82 of battery cells 80 and spacers 84 (where utilized)may be inserted into an opening 86 of the housing 52. In certainembodiments, housing 52 may be sized to a maximum allowable tolerancefor a desired number of battery cells 80 (e.g., to provide a desiredpower output for the battery module 13). That is, the housing 52 may belarge enough to accommodate the desired number of battery cells 80 andother components (e.g., spacers 84).

As shown, the battery cells 80 may include one or more minor terminals88 (e.g., cell terminals) configured to interface with one or more busbars 90 to electrically couple adjacent battery cells 80 in order toform a group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells 80. Incertain embodiments, the bus bars 90 may be mounted or disposed on a busbar carrier 92, which may retain the bus bars 90 disposed thereon whileinterfacing with the terminals 88 of the battery cells 80. However, inother embodiments, the battery module 13 may not include the bus barcarrier 92 and the bus bars 90 may be disposed directly onto theterminals 88. Depending on the embodiment, the bus bars 90 may couplethe battery cells 80 in series, in parallel, or some of the batterycells 80 in series and some of the battery cells 80 in parallel. Ingeneral, the bus bars 90 enable a group of electrically interconnectedbattery cells 80. Further, certain of the bus bars 90 may be configuredto enable electrical coupling of the group of electricallyinterconnected battery cells 80 with the major terminals 40 (e.g., thefirst terminal 48 or the second terminal 50) of the battery module 13,where the major terminals 40 are configured to be coupled to a load(e.g., component(s) of the vehicle 10) to power the load. It should benoted that the major terminals 40 may additionally be referred to asmajor terminals.

In accordance with present embodiments, the bus bars 90 may include twomajor bus bars 94 configured to enable electrical communication betweenthe group of electrically interconnected battery cells 80 and the majorterminals 40. For example, the two major bus bars 94 may extend beyond aperimeter of the bus bar carrier 92 and may each define at least aportion of a corresponding electrical path between the group ofelectrically interconnected battery cells 80 and the major terminals 40.The major bus bars 94 may include a first material (e.g., aluminum)corresponding with a material of the terminals 88 of the battery cells80 and with the bus bars 90 (e.g., minor bus bars or cell bus bars). Inaccordance with present embodiments, each major bus bar 94 may extendfrom the group of electrically interconnected battery cells 80 towardanother component of the corresponding electrical path extending betweenthe group of electrically interconnected battery cells 80 and thecorresponding major terminals 40.

In traditional configurations, the major bus bars 94 may be welded toportions of the major terminals 40. However, as noted above, suchconfigurations may increase the cost of the battery module andcomplexity of manufacturing. In other traditional configurations, themajor bus bars 94 may include portions that wrap around a base of amajor terminal and an opening configured to receive a post of thecorresponding major terminal, thereby enabling the major bus bars 94 toretain the major terminal without welding. However, such configurationsmay protrude or extend from the surfaces of the housing 52, and suchextended connections may expose the battery module to potential shortcircuits and/or other complications. Accordingly, as noted above, toaddress these and other shortcomings of traditional battery moduleconfigurations, battery modules in accordance with the presentdisclosure include major terminals 40 that are disposed within a recess96 (e.g., an opening, a pocket, etc.), as further described below. Therecess 96 may be accessible through any surface of the housing 52 of thebattery module, as further described below. In particular, the majorterminals 40 may engage with the major bus bars 94 within the recess 96of the housing 52, thereby reducing any extending or protrudingconnections, as further described below.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the major terminal 40may be molded into a recess 96 of the housing 52, as further describedwith respect to FIGS. 6 and 7. In some situations, the major terminal 40may be referred to as a stamped major terminal, a stamped terminal, arecess terminal, a major recess terminal, a female terminal, and soforth. Specifically, in certain embodiments, portions of the major busbars 94 may provide an electrical path to engage or couple with a baseof the major terminal 40 that is molded into the recess 96 (e.g.opening, pocket, etc.). Further, a post of the major terminal 40 mayengage with the base of the major terminal 40 within the recess 96. Incertain embodiments, the recess 96 may be formed within the lowerhousing portion 54, and an opening 97 of the recess 96 may be disposedon a surface 98 of the lower housing portion 54, as further describedwith respect to FIGS. 6 and 7. Further, portions of the major terminal40 that are molded into the recess 96 may form a continuous unit betweenthe major terminal 40 and the major bus bars 94 extending from the busbars 90. In certain embodiments, a post (e.g., threaded nut)corresponding to the base of the major terminal 40 may be inserted andremoved through the opening 97 of the recess 96, such that the threadsof the nut engage the major terminal 40, as further described withrespect to FIGS. 6 and 7. Accordingly, the major terminal 40 may be asingle continuous unit that is electrically coupled to the major bus bar94 within the housing 52 and that allows electrical flow to the majorbus bar 94 without external joints or connections.

In addition, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, portionsof the major bus bars 94 may be disposed on the surface 98 of the lowerhousing portion 54 above the recess 96. Specifically, the major bus bar94 may include an opening that aligns with the opening of the recess 96.Further, the major bus bar 94 may be configured to engage one or moreportions of a post of the major terminal 40. For example, the post ofthe major terminal 40 may be inserted into the recess 96 of the housing52 to engage with the base of the major terminal 40. As noted above, thebase of the major terminal 40 may be disposed within the recess 96, suchthat the major terminal 40 may be accessible through the surface of thehousing. Indeed, one or more portions of the major bus bar 94 may engagewith one or more portions of the post when the post of the majorterminal 40 engages with the base, as further described with respect toFIGS. 8-10. In such embodiments, the base may be securely retainedwithin the recess 96, rather than be molded into the recess 96. Inaddition, the threads of the nut may be configured to receive the majorterminal 40 within the recess 96 of the housing, thereby electricallycoupling the load to the battery module without any exposed joints orconnections.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of a batterymodule 13 for use in the vehicle of FIG. 1, illustrating the majorterminal 40 in one or more locations on the battery module 13, inaccordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. As noted above, themajor terminal 40 may be molded and/or disposed within a recess 96 ofthe housing 52. It should be noted that the recess 96 and thecorresponding major terminal 40 may be disposed anywhere within thehousing 52, such that the recess 96 and the corresponding major terminal40 are accessible through any surface of the housing 52. For example, inthe illustrated embodiment, the major terminal 40 may be disposed on thesurface 98 on the lower housing portion 54, on a sidewall 100 on thehousing cover 56, and/or on a curved wall 102 on the housing cover 56.Indeed, the major terminal 40 may be disposed on any surface of thehousing 52, as long as the major bus bar 94 is able to maintain anelectrical path between the bus bars 90 and the major terminals 40.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the battery module13 of FIG. 3, illustrating one or more portions of the major terminal 40molded into the housing 52 of the battery module 13, in accordance withan aspect of the present disclosure. Specifically, in the illustratedembodiment, a base 99 of the major terminal 40 may be molded into arecess 96 disposed within the housing 52. In some situations, the majorterminal 40 may be referred to as a stamped major terminal, a stampedterminal, a recess terminal, a major recess terminal, a female terminal,and so forth. As noted above, the recess 96 may be disposed within thehousing 52 such that the recess 96 is accessible through any surface ofthe housing 52. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the recess96 is disposed within the lower housing portion 54, and the opening 97of the recess 96 may be accessible through a surface 98 of the lowerhousing portion 54. It should be noted that the recess 96 may be shapedto receive the base 99 of the major terminal 40. Particularly, the base99 of the major terminal 40 may be molded or stamped into the recess 96subsequent to forming the recess 96 within the housing 52.

In certain embodiments, an electrical path 104 may electrically couplethe base 99 of the major terminal 40 that is molded into the recess 96(e.g. opening, pocket, etc.) to portions of the major bus bars 94. Itshould be noted that the base 99 of the major terminal 40 may be moldedinto the recess 96 to form a continuous unit that allows electrical flowthrough the continuous component to the major bus bar 94 without anyexternal connections or joints. In certain embodiments, a post 106(e.g., threaded nut 106) corresponding to the base 99 of the majorterminal 40 may be inserted and/or removed through the opening 97 of therecess 96. In particular, the post 106 may be inserted into the recess96 via a first direction 110 along the Y axis 44. When inserted into therecess 96, one or more threads 108 of the post 106 may be configured toengage an inner surface 112 of the base 99 of the major terminal 40, asfurther described with respect to FIG. 7. In certain embodiments, theinner surface 112 of the major terminal 40 may include one or morethreads or indentations that correspond to the threads 108 of the post106. In certain embodiments, the major terminal 40 may include one ormore extensions 105 that extend through the lower housing portion 54 toform the electrical path 104 to the major bus bar 94. Indeed, the one ormore extensions 105 may be formed out of the same material as the base99 of the major terminal 40, and may be any shape or length appropriateto establish the electrical path 104 to the major bus bar 94. Inparticular, in certain embodiments, the recess 96 may be any shape orlength appropriate to support the contour of the desired major terminal40.

It should be noted that base 99 of the major terminal 40 may bemanufactured by stamping the base 99, heating and bending the base 99,deep drawing the base 99 (e.g., via a cold formed process), acombination thereof, or any other suitable manufacturing technique. Incertain embodiments, the base 99 of the major terminal 40 may be moldedinto the recess 99 via injection molding, or other similar techniques.In this manner, the base 99 of the major terminal 40 may be molded intothe major terminal 40 such that the base 99 takes the shape of therecess 96. Further, the base 99 may be embedded into the major terminal40, thereby receiving the post of the major terminal 40 within therecess 96. In certain embodiments, a portion of the base 99 may form araised collar or a ring on the surface of the housing 52, as a means ofproviding additional support for the post inserted and/or removed fromthe base 99.

In certain embodiments, the material of the base 99 of the majorterminal 40 may be different than the material of the post 106. Forexample, the base 99 may be formed out of a first material (e.g.,copper), and the post 106 may be formed out of a second material (e.g.,aluminum). It should be noted that any type of material may be used toform the major terminal 40. For example, any type of material that isconducive to molding through an opening of the recess 96 may be utilizedfor the major terminal 40. Accordingly, the present techniques may beconducive to electrically engaging and/or coupling the base 99 with thepost 106 without welding the material of the base 40 with the materialof the post 106. Accordingly, the material cost of the battery module 13and/or the complexity of manufacturing the battery module 13 may bereduced when utilizing a battery module having the major terminal 40.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the battery module13 of FIG. 3, illustrating the base 99 of the major terminal 40 moldedinto the recess 96 of the battery module 13 and configured to receivethe post 106, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the post 106 may beinserted into the recess 96 along the Y axis 44, such that the one ormore threads 108 of the threaded nut 106 are configured to engage withthe inner surface 112 of the base 99. In this manner, the major terminal40 may be configured to electrically couple a load 114 to the batterymodule 13 without any connections or joints exposed outside of thehousing 52. Likewise, when the post 106 is removed from the recess 96along the Y axis 44 in a second direction 114, the one or more threads108 of the post 106 may disengage with the major terminal 40 anddecouple the load 114 from the battery module 13.

In certain embodiments, the base 99 of the major terminal 40 may besecured within the recess 96 with a form of attachment mechanism 116,such as sealants, glues, o-rings, resins, adhesives, foams, or anycombination thereof. For example, during the assembly and/or manufactureof the major terminal 40, the base 99 may be inserted into the recess 96formed within a portion of the housing 52. In the illustrated example,the recess 96 is disposed within the lower housing portion 54 of thehousing 52. In certain embodiments, the material of the base 99 (e.g.,copper) may be different from the material of the housing 52 (e.g.,plastic). Accordingly, any type of appropriate attachment mechanism 116may be utilized to secure the major terminal 40 within the housing 52.In certain embodiments, after the base 99 is inserted into the recess 96formed within a portion of the housing 52, the base 99 of the majorterminal 40 may be secured within the lower housing portion 52 when thehousing cover 56 is disposed on top of the major terminal 40. In suchembodiments, the attachment mechanism 116 may or may not be utilized tosecure the major terminal 40 within the housing 52. In particular, thehousing cover 56 may include one or more window-like apertures oropenings in alignment with the opening 97 of the recess 96, such thatthe post 106 may be inserted into the base 99, as described above.Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the housing cover 56 and thealignment of the housing cover 56 with the lower housing portion 54 maybe secured with a housing collar 58. As illustrated, the housing collar58 may be configured as a snap and/or clip attachment that couples thehousing cover 56 with the lower housing portion 54. In particular, thehousing collar 58 may be configured to surround the perimeter of thehousing 52 along the intersection where the lower housing portion 64 andthe housing cover 52 meet. In this manner, the major terminal 40 may besealed within the housing 52, thereby reducing the likelihood of leakagewithin the battery container or battery module container after thehousing cover 56 is sealed.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the battery module 13 ofFIG. 3, illustrating the portions of the major terminal 40 disposedwithin the recess 96 of the lower housing portion 54 of the batterymodule 13, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the post 106 (e.g.,threaded nut 106) associated or corresponding to the base 99 of themajor terminal 40 may be inserted and/or removed through the opening ofthe recess 96. As noted above, the opening 97 of the recess 96 may bedisposed on the surface 98 of the lower housing portion 54 of thebattery module 13. Specifically, in certain embodiments, the opening 97of the recess 96 may be aligned with an opening through a body 95 of themajor bus bar 94 which extends from the bus bars 90 to the majorterminal 40. The major bus bar 94 may be disposed along the surface 98such that one or more portions of the body 95 of the major bus bar 94surround the opening 97 of the recess 96. Accordingly, the post 106associated with the base 99 of the major terminal 40 may be insertedand/or removed from the opening 97 of the recess 96 through the majorbus bar 94. In particular, the major bus bar 94 may be configured toengage a top portion of the post 106 when the post 106 is securelyinserted into the recess 96 through the opening 97.

As noted above, the major terminal 40 may be disposed within any recess96, such that the major terminal 40 may be accessible through anysurface of the housing 52. For example, the major terminal 40 may bearranged such that they are accessible through any surface of thehousing 52, as long as the major bus bars 94 can maintain an electricalpath between the bus bars 90 and the major terminals 40. In certainembodiments, the major bus bar 94 may be configured to secure theopening 97 of the recess 96, such that the threaded nut 106 disposedwithin the recess 96 does not disengage from the housing 52. In otherembodiments, the housing cover 56 may be disposed over the majorterminal 40 and/or the major bus bar 94 to secure the recess 96 in themanner described above. It should be noted that in either embodiment,the major terminal 40 and/or the major bus bar 94 may be sealed withinthe housing 52, thereby reducing the likelihood of leakage within thebattery container or battery module container.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a portion of the battery module 13 of FIG.8, illustrating one or more components of the major terminal 40incorporated into the housing 52 of the battery module 13, in accordancewith an aspect of the present disclosure. As noted above, in certainembodiments, the major terminal 40 may include the post 106 and the base99. In particular, the post 106 is configured to engage with the base99, such that a secure engagement or coupling is made between thecomponents associated with the major terminal 40 and the major bus bar94.

Specifically, as noted above, the base 99 may be disposed and securedwithin the recess 96. In certain embodiments, the base 99 may be securedwithin the recess 96 as it is sandwiched between the major bus bar 94and one or more portions of the lower housing portion 54. It should benoted that in some situations, the base 99 may be secured to a bottomsurface 124 of the major bus bar 94 with one or more attachmentmechanisms 116, such as sealants, glues, o-rings, resins, adhesives,foams, or any combination thereof. In this manner, the base 99 may besecured within the recess 96, such that a portion of the major terminal40 is not removed from the recess 96. In particular, in the illustratedembodiment, the base 99 need not be molded into the recess 96. Rather,the base 99 may be securely disposed within the recess 96 by beingsandwiched between the major bus bar 94 and the housing 52.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the battery module 13 ofFIG. 8, illustrating the base 99 disposed underneath the major bus bar94, in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. Specifically, asnoted above, the base 99 may be disposed and secured within the recess96 such that the base 99 is sandwiched between the major bus bar 94 andone or more portions of the lower housing portion 54. In the illustratedembodiment, a portion of the lower housing portion 54 is removed toillustrate the configuration of the base 99 within the recess 96.Further, it should be noted that when the post 106 engages with the base99, the major terminal 40 may be entirely disposed and secured withinthe recess 96 while maintaining an electrical connection and pathway tothe major bus bar 94. In this manner, the battery module 13 may beelectrically coupled to the load without any joints exposed or extendingfrom the housing 52 of the battery module 13.

One or more of the disclosed embodiments, alone or in combination, mayprovide one or more technical effects useful in the manufacture ofbattery modules, and portions of battery modules. The disclosedembodiments relate to features of a battery module that may reduce amaterial cost of the battery module and complexity of manufacturing.Further, the disclosed embodiments relate to features of a batterymodule that are retained within a housing of the battery module, therebyreducing bulky and/or exposed connections. In particular, batterymodules in accordance with the disclosed embodiments include majorterminals disposed within a recess (e.g., an opening, a pocket, etc.)formed within a housing of the battery module. The technical effects andtechnical problems in the specification are exemplary and are notlimiting. It should be noted that the embodiments described in thespecification may have other technical effects and can solve othertechnical problems.

The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way ofexample, and it should be understood that these embodiments may besusceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should befurther understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to theparticular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope ofthis disclosure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A battery module, comprising: a polymerhousing comprising: a lower housing portion having a first openingdefined therein; and a housing cover disposed partially over the firstopening in the lower housing portion, wherein the housing covercomprises a second opening defined therein having a raised collarextending circumferentially around the second opening; a bus bardisposed within the polymer housing and electrically coupled to a groupof electrically interconnected battery cells disposed within the lowerhousing portion; and a major terminal comprising a base that iselectrically coupled to the bus bar, wherein the base is secured withinthe first opening of the lower housing portion by the housing cover andis aligned with the second opening of the housing cover, wherein thebase is configured to receive a post within the first opening toremovably electrically couple the major terminal to an external loadwithout exposed conductive components at an outer surface of the polymerhousing.
 2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the base is moldedinto the first opening in the lower housing portion.
 3. The batterymodule of claim 1, wherein the base is made of copper and the post ismade of stainless steel.
 4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein oneor more portions of the major terminal are further secured within thefirst opening of the lower housing portion with an attachment mechanism,and wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a sealant, a glue, ano-ring, a resin, an adhesive, a foam, or a combination thereof.
 5. Thebattery module of claim 1, wherein the bus bar comprises an aperturethat aligns with the first opening in the lower housing portion.
 6. Thebattery module of claim 1, wherein the group of electricallyinterconnected battery cells comprises a group of electricallyinterconnected prismatic lithium-ion (Li-ion) electrochemical cells. 7.A battery module, comprising: a polymer housing comprising: a lowerhousing portion having a first opening defined therein; and a housingcover disposed partially over the first opening in the lower housingportion, wherein the housing cover comprises a second opening definedtherein having a raised collar extending circumferentially around thesecond opening; an electrochemical cell having a minor terminal disposedwithin the polymer housing; a major terminal electrically coupled to theelectrochemical cell, wherein the major terminal comprises: a basesecured within the first opening of the lower housing portion andaligned with the second opening in the housing cover; and a postelectrically coupled to a load and removably engaged directly with thebase within the first opening to electrically couple the major terminalto the load, wherein the base consists essentially of a first conductivematerial and the post consists essentially of a second conductivematerial different than the first conductive material; and a bus barthat provides an electrical path between the minor terminal of theelectrochemical cell and the major terminal of the battery module. 8.The battery module of claim 7, wherein the bus bar is at least partiallydisposed within the first opening, and wherein the bus bar comprises anaperture that receives the post of the major terminal.
 9. The batterymodule of claim 7, wherein the bus bar is disposed within the basewithin the first opening of the lower housing portion.
 10. The batterymodule of claim 7, wherein the first conductive material is copper andthe second conductive material is stainless steel.
 11. The batterymodule of claim 1, wherein the base is copper and the post is aluminum.12. The battery module of claim 8, wherein the bus bar is made of thesecond conductive material of the post.
 13. The battery module of claim8, wherein the base comprises a nut that is welded about the aperture ofthe bus bar.
 14. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the base isconfigured to be coupled to the post without welding.
 15. The batterymodule of claim 3, wherein the bus bar is made of aluminum.
 16. Thebattery module of claim 5, wherein the base is physically coupled to thebus bar at the aperture, and wherein the post extends through theaperture of the bus bar when the base receives the post to electricallycouple the major terminal to the external load.
 17. A battery module,comprising: a polymer housing comprising: a lower housing portion havinga first opening defined therein; and a housing cover disposed partiallyover the first opening in the lower housing portion, wherein the housingcover comprises a second opening defined therein having a raised collarextending circumferentially around the second opening; a major terminalcomprising a base secured within the first opening of the lower housingportion by the housing cover and aligned with the second opening of thehousing cover, wherein the base is configured to receive a post withinthe first opening to removably electrically couple the major terminal toan external load.
 18. The battery module of claim 17, wherein the baseis molded into the first opening in the lower housing portion.
 19. Thebattery module of claim 17, wherein at least one portion of the majorterminal is at least partially secured within the first opening of thelower housing portion with an attachment mechanism, and wherein theattachment mechanism comprises a sealant, a glue, an o-ring, a resin, anadhesive, a foam, or a combination thereof.
 20. The battery module ofclaim 17, comprising a bus bar disposed within the polymer housing andelectrically coupled to a group of electrically interconnected batterycells disposed within the lower housing portion, wherein the base of themajor terminal is electrically coupled to the bus bar.